Disgraceful: Senators pounded by Canadiens

On the night before Halloween, the most frightening sight in Ottawa was the Senators’ defence — goaltending included.

Not only did the Montreal Canadiens skate out of the Canadian Tire Centre with two points, the Senators took one on the chin as goaltender Craig Anderson was chased after allowing six goals on 15 shots and captain Erik Karlsson was a minus-6 on Monday night in a disgraceful 8-3 pounding.

Trying to close out October on a high note, the Senators instead hit rock bottom, as only Chris DiDomenico, Ryan Dzingel and Tom Pyatt were able to beat Habs backup Al Montoya in front of 15,069.

Charles Hudon and Artturi Lehkonen both scored a pair for Montreal, while Alex Galchenyuk, Tomas Plekanec and Max Pacioretty chipped in as well.

Montreal Canadiens v Ottawa Senators
OTTAWA, ON - OCTOBER 30: Tom Pyatt #10 of the Ottawa Senators celebrates his first period goal against the Montreal Canadiens with team mates at the bench at Canadian Tire Centre on October 30, 2017 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Jana Chytilova/Freestyle Photography/Getty Images)
Jana Chytilova/Freestyle Photo, Getty ImagesJana Chytilova/Freestyle Photo/Getty Images

Canadiens captain Max Pacioretty (67) celebrates with centre Phillip Danault after scoring in the first period against the Senators. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean KilpatrickSean Kilpatrick/THE CANADIAN PRESS

Montreal Canadiens v Ottawa Senators
OTTAWA, ON - OCTOBER 30: Alexandre Burrows #14 of the Ottawa Senators crashes into team mate Craig Anderson #41 as Paul Byron #41 of the Montreal Canadiens looks on in the first period leading directly to a Montreal goal at Canadian Tire Centre on October 30, 2017 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Jana Chytilova/Freestyle Photography/Getty Images)
Jana Chytilova/Freestyle Photo, Getty ImagesJana Chytilova/Freestyle Photo/Getty Images

Montreal Canadiens v Ottawa Senators
OTTAWA, ON - OCTOBER 30: Charles Hudon #54 of the Montreal Canadiens gets the puck past a falling Erik Karlsson #65 of the Ottawa Senators in the first period at Canadian Tire Centre on October 30, 2017 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Jana Chytilova/Freestyle Photography/Getty Images)
Jana Chytilova/Freestyle Photo, Getty ImagesJana Chytilova/Freestyle Photo/Getty Images

Senators netminder Craig Anderson kneels on the ice after allowing the Canadiens' sixth goal, by Brendan Gallagher, in the second period of Monday's game. Jana Chytilova/Freestyle Photography/Getty ImagesJana Chytilova/Freestyle Photo/Getty Images

Canadiens players celebrate the second goal of the game by Alex Galchenyuk, second from left. Jana Chytilova/Freestyle Photography/Getty ImagesJana Chytilova/Freestyle Photo/Getty Images

Al Montoya of the Canadiens attempts to cover the puck with his trapper as Jordie Benn (8) and Shea Weber (6) look on in the second period. Jana Chytilova/Freestyle Photography/Getty ImagesJana Chytilova/Freestyle Photo/Getty Images

Canadiens winger Artturi Lehkonen, top, receives congratulations from Paul Byron as Senators goalie Mike Condon and his teammates hang their heads following a third-period goal. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean KilpatrickSean Kilpatrick/THE CANADIAN PRESS

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Photos: Canadiens 8, Senators 3, on Monday, Oct. 30

There really was no excuse for this kind of effort against an Atlantic Division rival as the Senators opened a three-game homestand. It didn’t help that Karlsson and Anderson weren’t good at all, but they weren’t alone because Ottawa really never gave itself a chance in this one.

“It was definitely one of those games where we didn’t play the way we’re supposed to or wanted to,” Karlsson said. “It felt like, myself included, every decision that we made ended up not being the one we were hoping for. In this business, it’s happened before and it’s probably going to happen again.

“We’re going to have to deal with it as a team and individuals.”

Karlsson isn’t going to worry about his minus-6 rating.

“I think I’ve definitely had way worse games and got away with it. Today wasn’t one of them,” Karlsson said. “It was one of those nights.”

Coach Guy Boucher didn’t mince words.

“We had a stinker. It’s our first one in 12 games. I’d love to say it’s going to be our last one but that’s not true,” said Boucher. “You hate to have it now, at home, against them, but we’ve won as a team and we’ve battled as a team and now we’ve lost as a team. We were off.”

Backup goalie Mike Condon, who had previously never had the chance to face his former team, took over in the third period.

No, the Habs haven’t gotten off to a great start this season, but the Senators knew they had to be ready for a challenge against a rival because, even without Carey Price in net, it looks like Montreal is going to get its act together.

“We made uncharacteristic mistakes and the bottom line is, it cost us. We made too many mistakes we don’t usually make and we got away from our structure. That was the result,” said defenceman Dion Phaneuf. “These games happen. You don’t like them to happen. It’s about how we respond to it. We got away from the way we’ve played for the whole year and the way we’ve had success. That’s the result.”

The Senators were saying all the right things about playing the right way and not giving up chances. After the two teams combined for six goals in the first, the Habs pulled out to a 6-3 lead in the second and that was when Boucher decided he’d seen enough of Anderson.

“Not good,” said Anderson. “Overall we weren’t very good. They happen. It’s good to get them out of the way, earlier than later, but the good news we get to come back to work the next day and try to improve.”

Gallagher and Galchenyuk scored in a span of 2:11 late in the second to allow the Habs to run away after the Senators had moved within striking distance.

Summoned from Belleville last week, DiDomenico scored his second NHL goal at 10:34 of the second on the power play. He fired it by Montoya on the glove side to pull the Senators to within a goal and bring some atmosphere back into the building because it was pretty quiet.

Trailing 4-2 after outshooting the Habs 11-7, the Senators couldn’t have been the least bit pleased with their effort. They weren’t getting the saves from Anderson and they were giving up too many good chances. Karlsson was minus-3 in the first period alone, and that pretty much says it all.

After making only three saves, there was some question as to whether Anderson would be back for the second, but Boucher didn’t make the change.

Hudon’s second of the game with four minutes left in the first on a backhanded effort gave the Habs a two-goal lead. Only minutes earlier Lehkonen’s first of the season had given Montreal a 3-2 advantage. That came with Anderson taken out of position by a sliding Alex Burrows.

Not long after a horrible giveaway by Anderson to allow Pacioretty to score on a shorthanded effort, the Senators tied it up on the power play at 8:15 when Mike Hoffman’s shot deflected by Montoya. That was only Ottawa’s third shot and it tied the game at 2-2.

Fifty-five seconds earlier, the Habs had taken the lead when Anderson pretty much handed the puck to Pacioretty behind the net and he deposited into empty net with Anderson scrambling to get back.

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